LIGO and Virgo make first detection of gravitational waves produced by colliding neutron stars

For the first time, scientists have directly detected gravitational waves — ripples in space and time — in addition to light from the spectacular collision of two neutron stars. This marks the first time that a cosmic event has been viewed in both gravitational waves and light.

The discovery was made using the U.S.-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO); the Europe-based Virgo detector; and some 70 ground- and space-based observatories. Read more

In addition to the data analysis and the development of the statistical signal
detection theory, we modeling astrophysical sources of
gravitational waves,
make predictions about the population of these sources, search for the
electromagnetic waves emission
accompanying the gravitational waves
and take part in the construction of the Virgo interferometer.